JSC News - June 2011
I am writing this at the beginning of June not knowing when it will be read.
In a few days time the BKKS Show Season will have really taken off. The East Pennine and Worthing Sections have shows on the first weekend of June, closely followed by Crouch Valley and thereafter we have shows throughout July and into October. Even without the National it looks like there will be 18 shows this year covering all areas of the UK.
But that’s for the future. Leading up to June is preparatory time where our members get ready for the season ahead. Some, like Carol McCall and Tony Sheffield get a chance to limber up abroad; both having attended the Gauteng Chapter SAKKS’ show in Johannesburg as overseas judges.
Kate McGill, now domiciled in Australia chose to see life from the other side of the centre ring by entering koi raised with her partner Ian Andrews in the Koi Society of Australia’s (KSA) show. They did good; winning Grand Champion with a Koromo-Sanke.
For others it was a step into the virtual world, with the PKDA Virtual show judged by Gary Hillier, Kieron Burns and John Anderson over Bank Holiday weekend (28th to 30th) where Trainee Iain Kirkbright acted as the virtual Show Chairman.
Several of our judges have judging qualifications from other Koi Societies and in that capacity Christine Woolger and I were two parts of the tripartite team that judged the Nordic Virtual Show that covered Scandinavia and Finland. This show packed in 299 entries benched in accordance with the Dutch NVN show classes. We started judging on the 23rd with the early results being posted on the 26th. Stefan Malm another BKKS JSC Trainee was both the virtual bencher and virtual Show Chairman for this show.
On the 28th & 29th during the Nordic Koi Seminar held in Sweden both Christine and I gave lectures alongside our other judging compatriot Toën Feyen from Holland. This seminar’s finale was the prize giving for the Virtual Show.
But from the judging perspective these virtual shows are far removed from the real thing and thanks to all you show teams out there we have several real ones to look forward to in what is looking like a very productive year.
See you around.
